


I'm Gonna Show You Crazy

by Daryl_Grimes (Loki_Likey_Thor_Odinson)



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Zombie Apocalypse, Alternate Universe - No Zombies, F/M, M/M, Mentions of Suicide Attempts, Multi, descriptions of self harm, suicidal content
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-13
Updated: 2015-12-13
Packaged: 2018-05-06 13:43:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5419265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Loki_Likey_Thor_Odinson/pseuds/Daryl_Grimes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rick Grimes is the newest pyschiatrist at Woodbury, taking over from Hershel Greene, who really didn't like to keep notes on his patients.</p><p>Meeting the quiet Daryl Dixon, Rick is glad to be able to befriend the man and talk to him, get to know him as a person, rather than a patient.</p><p>But, as time comes on, Rick realises that maybe the Governor of Woodbury may be up to some unsavoury things, and that some of his patients may be the brunt of the Governor's anger.</p><p>With the help of Daryl, and the janitor that is his patient's friend, can Rick get to the bottom of all the drama, or will he have to leave Woodbury and return to Kentucky with his family?</p><p>And why the hell are Daryl's blue eyes haunting him all the time?</p><p> </p><p> <em>PLEASE check the author's notes at the start of each chapter to ensure that you will not be triggering by the following chapter. Thank you.</em><br/><em>For those asking <a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CWIWGZPWIAEDSJM.jpg">this</a> is what inspired this fiction.</em></p>
            </blockquote>





	I'm Gonna Show You Crazy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mentions of suicide attempts. Self harm mentions.

Rick made sure that his coat was secure on his shoulders before he cleared his throat. Glancing at himself in the mirror, he frowned, deciding against the coat. His shirt didn’t seem so professional though. Scowling, he threw on his jumper, making sure that it went with his jeans and shoes.

The buzzer by the door sounded, and Rick almost jumped out of his skin before glancing over at the green light by his door, indicating that his first patient of the day was here. Taking a deep breath, he headed over to it.

“Come on, Grimes, they’re not going to kill you, they’re just the same as your old patients.”

But of course, they wouldn’t be the same as his old patients. This was _Woodbury_. The notorious mental institute that harboured all the crazies of the surrounding states, people from all over America were sent here, were they deemed ‘crazy’ enough.

Rick shook his head, reminding himself to stay strong before he cleared his throat, opening his door.

His confidence plummeted.

His first patient had their head slumped, long hair dangling down over their face... more importantly; they were in a straight jacket.

“Psycho’s all yours.”

The guards all but pushed him into the office and Rick had to catch the man to prevent him going flying. The man didn’t seem to do... _anything_ and Rick frowned, leading him to the couch.

“Yer ain’t Hershel.”

“Hershel was called away on family business. I was hired by the Govenor.”

Rick frowned as he watched the man on the couch recoil into himself.

“What’s your name?”

A dull-eyed stare was all he got.

“I’m Rick Grimes, I’m not going to hurt you.”

“Daryl Dixon.”

“Well, Daryl, will you tell me why you’re in a straight jacket?”

“Self-harm. Claw at myself if I get the urge.”

Rick nodded a little, ignoring his pad on the table. “Well then, Daryl, if I take it off, will you try not to claw at yourself for this hour?”

The brunet male’s head shot up, his eyes wide. “Yer trusting me?”

“Frankly, you look quite sick of it. I like to trust my patients, but if you give me a reason to put it back on...”

Daryl hesitated before nodding, slowly standing and turning around. Rick’s nimble fingers undid the restraints, before he stood, helping Daryl to remove it. The jacket thudded to the ground and Daryl slowly moved to sit down in the armchair, curling up in it. He wore a simple blue jumper, unbuttoned down to his belly button, and loose pajama bottoms.

He seemed much more comfortable in the surroundings now, and Rick cleared his throat.

“I haven’t read Hershel’s files on you, it seems he misplaced them, so why don’t you tell me about yourself, Daryl?”

Daryl didn’t reply, merely pulling his long sleeves down over his hands. His head tilted up slightly, bright blue eyes watching Rick intently.

 _He’s probably searching for another reason to trust me_.

“Well, how about I start?” Rick cleared his throat once more, relaxing back in his chair. “I’m Rick Grimes. I have a wife, a son and a new born baby girl. Lori, Carl and Judith, though we call her Judy for short. I used to live in Kentucky, but we moved up here to North Georgia for my job as a psychiatrist.”

Silence filled the room and Daryl shifted to scratch at his leg. Rick raised an eyebrow but Daryl merely raised his other hand. “Just scratching. Itchy.” He cleared his throat. “I lived in North Georgia, wi’ mah brother and father. Mah mother died when I was 12, and I started self-harming shortly afterwards. When I was 15, I tried to slit my wrists. OD’ed when I was 16, and then the same year I also tried hanging myself.” Daryl shrugged. “When mah brother had his son, I tried to slit my wrists again and he was worried for his son’s safety so they sent me here. After four goes, you’d think I’d have mastered the art of dying by now.”

Daryl shrugged again, moving to fiddle with his long sleeves.

“Might I ask why you tried to end your life?”

“Things got hard when Momma died. She was the only one that properly cared about me so when she went it was like... I had this massive hole that I couldn’t fill. When I went to high school, people used t’bully me, real bad. I just... gave up, I s’pose. Didn’t wanna deal with it. But it got worse, every single time I went back. So now I just live here.”

“Do you like living here?”

Daryl shrugged. “I have a girlfriend, I guess you could call her.”

“A girlfriend?”

“Yea, her name’s Beth. She’s in here, same as me. She’s on the same floor as me. We met at meal times, would look out fer each other. Couple of months ago, she kissed me. Kissed her back and yea. We date.”

Rick nodded a little, and smiled. “You like her?”

“She’s one of the best people I met in this hellhole.”

“Hellhole? If you don’t like it here, why do you stay?”

“Cause how the hell am I gonna get out if the Governor- Never mind.”

“If the Governor does what?”

Daryl’s eyes widened and he looked down at his feet. Rick noted how his hand started scratching at the inside of his wrist and Rick cleared his throat, concern written all over his face.

“Daryl.”

“Says I ain’t mentally stable fer the outside world.”

“Well, that’s my job, and it was Hershel’s before mine. Now, you are one of my patients, so I will be working closely with you, Daryl. With any luck, we can send you home soon, and you can see your family.”

“I don’t think I should.”

“Why’s that?”

“I been in here for nearly 10 years. My family wouldn’t even recognise me now.”

Rick frowned a little. “Have they ever visited you?”

“They tried t’ when I first came in. I wouldn’t see them. I felt like they betrayed me. Then when I was eventually ready to see them, they stopped coming.” He shrugged again, and sighed. “I like it here, I guess. The food isn’t so bad, I mean, I’ve never seen the outside since I got here but... I like that. I don’t have to hide myself from th’world. Governor does that for us. I don’t have to worry about what people will think about me.”

Rick frowned and leaned forward to open his mouth only to jump when the buzzer went. He stood up and checked through the peephole of his door before sighing.

“Daryl, our session is over, I’m afraid. I have to meet the rest of my patients. But I promise to see you before next week, alright?”

Daryl nodded cautiously and scooped his straight jacket from the floor stepping to the side of the door. Rick opened it and a blonde woman walked in, bright blue eyes watching Daryl as she walked by him.

They shared a smile and Rick raised an eyebrow before he shifted to offer the woman a seat, shutting the door closed after Daryl.

“I’m Beth Greene.”

Rick had to hide a smile as he sat down opposite her, with a soft smile, reciting the same questions he had for Daryl, although his mind was much too busy on the man before.

_Why the hell are his eyes stuck in my mind?_


End file.
